I've been listening to a marriage series by Danny Silk called "Defining the Relationship" and it has me thinking about what it means to be a bride. Perhaps because I have recently had the privilege and honor ofmarrying my best friend John so this concept of "bride" is foremost in my thoughts today.
The first thing Danny chose to talk about in his message was the concept of power in a marriage. He explained that if we do not embrace our power of choice within marriage that our relationship will simply become something that happens TO us.
For me, once again, Danny has wrapped words around a concept God has been teaching me since 2004... that is.... the "dynamic tension" of embracing our power and intentionally co-laboring with God and community in partnership. The beautiful marriages I have seen all around me are made up of couples who are intentionally embracing their own identity within their shared identity in covenant with God.
The morning of my wedding I penned this prayer...
Papa, I sit here as the bride feeling pampered & special, set apart, held in high-esteem, singled out to be the focus of Love. I am struck by how You call your church the bride, YOUR bride. It is amazing how You have set your church apart and you call us holy, special, held in high-esteem.
We are so - in the natural - tainted. We have marred ourselves - yet you call us Your bride. You see us in our imperfection, You dress us in white and call us holy, loved, secure, and captivating. That is such a beautiful reality Father. We, the church, Your bride, thank You.
The reality of feeling special, loved, set-apart on the day of my wedding left me feeling motivated and inspired. I felt powerful! I wanted to share those feelings with others, I wanted people to embrace the joy and love I was feeling because it was to great to be contained. I wanted to motivate others to share this joy and love. This reality provided me with the realization that it was within my power to share the blessings God was honoring me with.
But what if I stayed - all dressed up - sitting in my bridal abode and refused to walk the aisle to meet my husband? What if I chose to twirl around my dressing room - adoring my "pamperedness" and stared at myself in the mirror all day?
No one else would have had the opportunity to share in the joy that God was creating on that day. No one else would have been impacted by how God was working in my heart.
There is a role, I am learning, that we - as the bride of Christ - are to play in this world. It is an active role. It is a role that enables us to embrace our own power as made in the Image of God. We are called to be co-laborers, co-creators with God - in His perfect power. That, to me, is the wonderful reality of being a bride.
What could our world look like if we embraced our power as the bride of Christ?
"I don't believe that God chose you and blessed you so that you could heap those blessings upon yourself. I believe God chose you because He wants to make a difference in this world. And you know what? What I think is scary about God is He didn't come up with any 'plan B.' That He left the church here, and the church is the only group of people and the church is the only institution in the world that can bring about a change."
- Rich Mullins.
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Danny, Sheri and the Loving On Purpose team take the time to answer some of the more complicated relationship questions.
Loving on Purpose Relationship Skills Series
A premarital course for those considering marriage.
The series is designed for each couple to have their own manual as they go through the class.
Many Christian couples these days are having to "Define their Relationships." It's that awkward conversation that either pushes us apart because we were on different planets concerning this relationship, or it helps what we have to begin to blossom into something even more beautiful. This premarital course is designed to help couples examine the path they will travel together and carefully consider the strength of their relationship. The topics include: Love Languages * The Communication Dance * Conflict Management * The 7 Pillars of Healthy Relationships * Building and Protecting Intimate Connections * Family History: Exploring your 'Normal' * Couple Mission Statement * Powerful Decisions & Powerful People.
Within this series you will find Danny's comedic style of presenting as well as a serious attempt to bring couples into a reality check about their decision toward marriage. The GOAL of this series is to impart COURAGE - courage to either push through the challenging realities of the relationship or the courage to walk away from the relationship.
Whether in a class room setting or independently reviewed as a couple, this material will lead people through the common condition of "La La La" and present hard realities most do not even consider until long after the "I do's."
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